Map of France showing where the Fiera arms are recorded
The Fiera arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Fiera arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of France.
Origin & History of the Fiera Family in France
The history of the Fiera name in France is rooted in the rugged landscapes of the Brittany region, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1663. During this period, Brittany functioned as a distinct province with its own cultural traditions and social structures. Families like the Fieras often lived in small rural parishes, where their daily lives were tied to the seasonal rhythms of agriculture and local trade. Because the name appears in regional documentation during the mid-seventeenth century, it is likely that the family was part of the local peasantry or the emerging merchant class that helped sustain the coastal economy. Over time, these early settlers contributed to the unique social fabric of the region, leaving behind traces in parish registers that document their births, marriages, and deaths. These records serve as the primary link to their past and highlight their long-standing presence in the western reaches of the French kingdom.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à un griffon de gu., tenant une branche de chêne feuillée de trois pièces et englantée d'autant de pièces, le tout au nat.; le champ chapé-ployé d'azur, ch. tant à dextre qu'à sen. de trois los. d'arg., 2 et 1. Cq. cour. C.: le griffon, iss. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1745
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Map of Germany showing where the Fiera arms are recorded
The Fiera arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1745.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit in the registers.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Germany in this period.
Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor
1742–1745
Reigning in France when the Fiera arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
In the Holy Roman Empire, coats of arms were often granted to individuals by the Emperor or his representatives. These arms were then passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants of the original holder. Younger branches of a family usually kept the same shield design without needing to change it, as the arms belonged to the entire lineage.
Granting authority
The Holy Roman Emperor held the sole power to grant new coats of arms throughout his vast imperial territories.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal imperial grant or by proving their noble status to the authorities.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Imperial Chancery registers, which began keeping formal records of such honors during the Middle Ages.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Fiera Family in Germany
The history of the Fiera family in Germany is deeply rooted in the cultural landscape of Bavaria during the mid-eighteenth century. By 1745, records indicate that family members were established within this region, which was then a powerful electorate of the Holy Roman Empire. The name likely emerged during a period when surnames were becoming more fixed to help local authorities track tax obligations and church parish memberships. Life for the Fiera family at this time would have been defined by the agricultural rhythms of the Bavarian countryside and the strict social structures of the era. As the family settled into their community, they participated in the local traditions and labor systems that supported the regional economy. Their presence in Bavaria suggests they were part of the hardworking population that navigated the transition from feudal traditions to the more organized administrative systems of the modern German states.
Fiera Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Fera
Latin term meaning wild, untamed, or a beast.
This name
FieraA descriptive nickname for someone with a fierce, wild, or untamed personality.
also spelled
Fiere
Feer
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Gautier, Alain, Histoire de la Bretagne, 2010
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
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